Perspective is a funny thing

So tonight is my first night back at work since the beginning of our "Labor Day BP Saga". I feel like I am being more observant with how familys react and what happens since I have now been on the other side of the health care system. For the most part I am very proud of how we treat patients and how through we are here at Childrens Mercy. I know I will never want to take my children anywhere else. It is very odd to me how easily I relax back into this side of health care. I have the power to look up lab results, to know what the plan of care is and to know what is going on. And I have the responsibility to communicate those things with my patients and their families. That is what has been so frustrating about this whole process with Dan's BP-that we didn't know what was going on and that even when I would ask specific questions I wouldn't get the answers. Right now I am not super hopeful that much good will come from Dan's high bp or that it will even be an easy road to get it solved, or an easy road in the future- however I do think experiencing being the scared, lost spouse will help me be a better nurse. I chose to be a nurse because there is a gap between the health care diagnosis and the emotional connection/well being of the families. Nurses help bridge that gap. We help explain diagonsis in laymans terms after the doctors have moved on to their next patient. We answer questions and teach the patient/family the best way to care for their new diagnosis. We care and we are the ones to ask "are you okay" when a parent/patient is upset or unsure. Yesterday dan said "I feel like none of the doctors care that I am dying faster than the average person" Where was the nurse advocating for him during his hospital stay? I feel like his experience in the hosptial was a huge failure both for the doctors and especially for the nurses. Above all we are advocates for our patients. And that is what his hospital stay lacked. It lacked a driving force pushing to find out what the problem was it lacked an advocate. So if nothing else I have become a better nurse through all of this. It has helped me professionally. And I guess that is something.